How to fit fitness into your daily schedule
It's December 31st and whilst many of us are going to have an indulgent time this evening - tomorrow our thoughts will turn to getting rid of the Christmas excess.
We all however lead busy lives and trying to fit that new fitness routine in amongst work and family commitments can be challenging.
I have found the following ideas which may help.....without too much effort!!
Fitness experts Jenny Pacey and Wayne Gordon offer their top workout tips for people with no time to spare.
Fit tip 1: At home
The average person spends a lot of their free time relaxing on the sofa. The living room is a "comfort zone" for many people and a place to unwind and relax. However, make the most of this down time by burning some extra calories – you can even keep fit while watching TV!
Instead of puffing up a cushion to make yourself more comfortable, try sitting on the floor with your feet and legs straight out in front of you, your heels raised and your abs pulled in. Now, hold a cushion with your arms straight and in front of your chest, rotate your body and the cushion round to the right; tap the floor before rotating to the left. Repeat 30 times for a great abs and core workout, which will help define your waist.
Use the arm rest of the sofa as a platform to perform triceps dips and tone those bingo wings. Move your feet further away from the body to increase difficulty, dip low and see how many you can do. Set yourself a challenge and aim to increase the number you complete every time.
Invest in some home fitness equipment to encourage you to work out without leaving the house.
Try an hour's slow walk, or a fast pace interval session on a static bike – you can even watch TV in the process. If you’re thinking of investing in a treadmill, find out if it’s compatible with iFit Live technology (NordicTrack or Proform both are). iFit is a personal training system which transports runners to a different location each day, thanks to Google Maps technology, and will help you stay on track and motivate you to reach your goals. Take a stroll down Bondi Beach or head out to Central Park from the comfort of your own home.
Fit tip 2: Walking and Work
You can burn up to 300 calories an hour just by walking and, if you increase the speed for a brisk 45 minute walk, you will dip in and out of your fat burning zone as well as gaining a low intensity workout.
Park further away from work so that you have to walk to the office.
When at the supermarket park as far from the shop as you can - the extra walk plus lugging around the trolley and shopping will be a mini workout.
At work:
Make regular trips to the water fountain, your body cannot mobilise fat unless you are fully hydrated. And the extra trips to the bathroom will increase calorie burn.
Use a headset, rather than squeezing a phone between your shoulder and ear. You are less likely to suffer shoulder and neck discomfort.
Have an active lunch break. Walk to pick up your lunch, go and meet a friend in the park, schedule a midday session with your personal trainer or walk up and down the office stairwell five times before you tuck into lunch.
Stand up to make phone calls.
Fit tip 3: Make the most of wasted time
Try squeezing in exercise whenever you can throughout the day, for instance:
Try squats when you're washing up.
Jog on the spot when you're waiting for the bus.
Perform triceps dips off the side of the bath tub whilst you are waiting for it to fill up.
Walk the kids to school instead of driving.
Add 5 minutes to your daily dog walk.
See how many crunches you can do during a commercial break on TV.
Dance to your favourite music rather than just listening to it.
Do press-ups on the edge of the kitchen counter while you’re waiting for your dinner to cook
Remember, exercise stimulates your circulation, improving the transportation of nutrients around your system and flushing out waste products. This will help make your skin clearer and give you a distinctively fresh glow, as well as boosting your sex drive!
Happy New Year!
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